


Blindsided

by Leisey



Series: I Won't Say I'm in Love [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: M/M, Nino is struggling, Nino knows but Adrien doesn't know Nino knows, Post Reveal, Sort Of, adrinino - Freeform, and super gay, nino is the ultimate wingman, wow try saying that five times fast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 13:16:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12366576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leisey/pseuds/Leisey
Summary: When Nino figures out that Adrien is Chat Noir, he tries to set his best friend up with Ladybug. No matter how much it hurt that the guy he loved was in love with someone else.In other words, Nino has a Big Gay Crush™  and is struggling.





	Blindsided

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Miraclous Ladybug fic outside of the love square, and now I'm totally in love with Adrinino. 
> 
> As always, I was the last out of our little Hufflepuff writing group to get their fic done, but I'm happy with it. ~~It wouldn't end omg~~
> 
> Please let me know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> Much love,
> 
> Leisey.

When Nino figured out that his best friend was Chat Noir, his first reaction wasn't excitement. Nor was it shock, or anything you'd expect. No, his first reaction was disappointment.

Not in Adrien! Never in Adrien! No, it was more in the fact that everyone in France (maybe even everyone around the world) knew that Chat Noir was in love with Ladybug. And if Adrien was in love with Ladybug, then that meant he wasn't in love with _him_.

Huh. Maybe the word Nino was going for wasn't disappointment. Maybe it was heartbreak.

Still, his best bro was madly in love with Ladybug, so Nino was determined to get them together (even if it hurt).

Even if Adrien was being spectacularly unhelpful with Nino’s plan.

Not that he was intentionally being difficult, it was just that whenever Nino wanted to initiate Operation-Hook-My-Best-Bud-Up-With-The-Girl-Of-His-Dreams-And-Break-My-Heart-In-The-Process (code name pending), Adrien wanted to do something else.

Was that code name too dramatic? Eh, he was friends with Adrien. The model’s dramatics had to rub off on him at some point.

Regardless, Adrien was being and unforeseen and unwitting roadblock in Operation HMBBUWTGOHDABMHITP. Nino would be more annoyed about it, but all Adrien seemed to want to do was spend time with him, and Nino was never gonna say no to that.

Still, he was going to see Ladynoir or Ladrien happen. He didn’t care _how_ it happened, so long as his best friend was spending time with his miraculous, evil butterfly-butthead fighting partner.

The only problem?

Nino was starting to lose his patience.

He wasn’t good at this, okay? He wasn’t a matchmaker. If he was any good at getting people together, he’d be the one Adrien would be lovesick over, not Ladybug.

No disrespect meant to the spotted heroine. It wasn’t like Nino disliked her. Was he jealous? _Oh yes._ Did that taint how he felt about Ladybug? _No_. Nino thought she was wickedly awesome, and would always be thankful for the protection she gave the city. Did that mean he wouldn’t like to shake her by the shoulders and scream, “Can’t you see Chat’s madly in love with you?! Appreciate him, damn it!” _Also no._

Okay, okay, okay. He was being ridiculous. Ladybug appreciated Chat Noir. Everyone knew that and Ladybug went out of her way to show how much her partner meant to her. But that was different to being in love with him and Nino just wanted her to realise and reciprocate Chat’s feelings. She was missing out on the one thing Nino desperately wanted: Adrien’s love. It was hard to not be frustrated about that.

Urgh, all this angst was making Nino’s head hurt.

Still, Adrien was his best bud, so Nino was going to be the Ultimate Wingman and get Operation HMBBUWTGOHDABMHITP (he really needed to think of a better name) to work.

* * *

Or not, because Adrien wasn’t doing what he was supposed to be doing!

Fight akumas? _Yes_. Pun while doing it? _Of course._ Look ridiculously beautiful as a civilian _and_ a superhero? _You bet_. But actually go out of his way to see Ladybug? _Nuh-uh._

In fact, Adrien kept spending more and more time with him. If Nino wasn’t so determined to bury his feelings and make Ladynoir happen, he’d be feeling hopeful at all the attention Adrien had been giving him.

Then, his best bud just had to throw the mother of all wrenches into Operation-I’m-Going-To-Make-Ladynoir-Happen-And-Be-A-Lonely-Old-Man-With-Ten-Cats (code name still pending.)

“But don’t you think Ladybug and Chat Noir would make a good couple?” Nino asked Adrien over lunch, mentally preparing himself for the lovestruck expression that was going to appear on his best friend’s face.

Instead, Adrien just shrugged. “Nah,” he said nonchalantly. “I think they’re better as friends.”

Fucking... _what_?!

Adrien Agreste, world famous model and superhero, thought Ladybug and Chat Noir should just be friends?!

Did Hawkmoth send them to an alternate dimension? That would be the only logical explanation for the apparent 180 degree turn of Adrien’s feelings.

“Um, what?” Nino managed not to choke on his lunch and ask the question that his brain was stuck on. “I thought you were like the ultimate Ladynoir shipper?”

Adrien shook his head. “They’re both interested in other people.” He then froze and hurriedly tacked on, “otherwise they would have gotten together by now, right? That’s—that’s what I think, anyway.”

If Nino’s heart wasn’t about to burst out of his chest, he would have been more preoccupied at his best friend’s frankly terrible skills at keeping his secret identity a secret. As it was, he felt like having a heart attack because Adrien wasn’t interested in Ladybug?!

Maybe that was just a lie? Maybe he just said it to preserve his secret identity? It wouldn’t do to be too interested in the spotted heroine as a civilian, right?

“Oh, come on,” Nino cajoled, shoving Adrien with his shoulder. “I’m sure that cat can win her over.”

Adrien didn’t agree. “No, I don’t see it happening.”

Nino felt blindsided. Was ?????????? an emotion? Because that’s what he was feeling.

“Dude, give the guy some credit,” he said. “Chat Noir is smooth as fuck.”

Adrien paused in act of eating his lunch; his sandwich frozen halfway to his mouth. He slowly lowered his hand and asked, “You think Chat Noir is smooth?”

Oh jeez. Oh fuck. Oh balls. Oh damn. Did Nino literally just tell the superhero that his lines were smooth….to his face?!

“Uh, well, yeah,” Nino replied, hoping that his cheeks weren’t flaming red. “I mean, you’ve seen the Ladyblog.”

 _You’ve been in the fights that are on the Ladyblog_ , he corrected in his thoughts. _You came up with those lines._

A slow smile crept onto Adrien’s face. “You think Chat Noir is smooth.” It was no longer a question.

Now Nino was certain he was blushing. “I’m just saying, some of them can be ridiculous, but they’re clever and smooth, and you gotta give credit where credit is due.”

His best friend beamed and continued eating his lunch; Adrien’s smile was so beautiful and bright, Nino thought it was worth all the mortification he was feeling.

* * *

Sprawled out on his bed, Nino stared at the ceiling and tried to get his thoughts in order.

Part of him couldn’t understand why he wasn’t so tongue tied around his best bud. When he’d had that crush on Marinette, he could barely speak. Adrien had to wingman for him and tell him what to say.

Oh jeez, Adrien had to wingman for him and tell him what to say! Adrien, who he had a gigantic crush on, who he was falling steadily more in love with every time they were together, tried to set him up with someone else!

Nino pushed the thought away. There was no point getting caught up in it; not when he was doing his utmost to get Adrien together with his spotted partner, anyway.

He figured the reason he wasn’t a complete mess around his best friend was because he was exactly that: his best friend. It was hard to be tongue tied around someone you’d seen eat fifteen croissants in five minutes (because “fuck model diets!” Alya’s words, not theirs) and then had to lie down after it from eating too much. Or who casually slips puns into conversations to see if anyone picks up on it (“What a knightmare!” Nino heard that, Adrien, you dork.)

Still, how nice would it be to confess to him? To just tell Adrien how he felt and have his feeling returned? It’d be so easy, too. A simple, “I love you,” maybe a kiss...maybe a lot more kisses. Maybe he’d run his hands through Adrien’s perfectly styled hair and mess it up until it was more Chat-like. Maybe Nino would push Adrien against a wall, and step in close, so very close, that there’d be no space between them. So close that if Nino moved just slightly, he’d be able to feel—

He groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes, as if that could block out the thoughts running around in his head. “Damn it,” he muttered to his empty room. Damn his overactive imagination and damn Operation-I’ll-Be-Living-On-Fantasies-And-My-Hand-For-The-Rest-Of-My-Life (code name _still_ pending.)

Caught up in his thoughts as he was, he didn’t hear the knock at his widow until it happened a second time. Scrambling upright, he turned to see Chat Noir perched outside his window and clearly hoping to come in.

 _Adrien_.

What was he doing there?! Nino shot a glance to the clock on his bedside table; it was nearly one o’clock in the morning. Why was his best friend running around in a cat suit at this time of night?!

He rushed to the window and opened it. “Chat Noir?! What—what are you doing here?”

“Hi,” the superhero returned. “Nino, right?”

 _Sneaky, Adrien,_ Nino thought dryly. _Sure, you don’t know me at all._

“Yeah, dude. That’s me.”

Chat beamed. “Thought so. Ladybug and I have been checking up on past akuma victims, and making sure they’re okay. I volunteered to come and talk to you.”

Honestly, how in the world had this nerd been able to keep his secret identity for so long? Surely if Ladybug and Chat Noir were doing that, it would have come up on the Ladyblog by now?

“At one o’clock in the morning?” Nino couldn’t help but ask.

Chat froze, as if the time had never occurred to him. “Ah, well, you know...it’s busy being a superhero.”

That was an understatement. Nino still had no idea how Adrien managed to save Paris on a regular basis, on top of everything else he had to do.

“That’s fair enough,” Nino said, deciding to just roll with his best friend’s poor excuse for a visit.

Because this was Adrien, and despite the fact Nino was head over heels for him, he was his best friend. And if Nino could provide a place for him to escape his crazy-ass schedule and less than desirable home life—even if it included late night visits and cat costumes—Nino would do it every time.

“Come on in,” he said.

* * *

Okay, Nino had clearly signed his own death warrant.

Letting Adrien come over as Chat once had apparently been an open invitation for him to keep visiting, and now Nino saw him so often that he just kept falling for him all the more and the DJ was sure he was going to die.

But he never asked Chat to stop coming; he never would.

Spending time with the superhero made it really obvious that Adrien was Chat, and Nino could clearly see his best friend under the mask...he was just less restricted than the normal, everyday Adrien Agreste. The puns that he would mutter under his breath or casually slip into conversation, were used without restraint. The dorky sense of humour that Nino was privy to as Adrien’s best friend, was on full display as Chat Noir.

The mask meant freedom for Adrien, and Nino was delighted that he was being allowed to see it. Even if it meant that the DJ kept falling harder and harder for his friend. Even if it was getting increasingly harder not to blurt out, “ _I know it’s you under there, Adrien, and I’m so completely in love with you, it’s ridiculous!_ ”

But, no, Nino would never regret allowing Adrien to visit him at night as his alter ego. He treasured the time he spent with his friend, and would always look forward to when Chat Noir would tap on his window.

He just decided to use it to forward Operation-Epic-Lonely-Crying-Wingman (Nino would decide on a name eventually, he swore.)

“Oh, dude!” Nino said one night while he and Chat were playing video games. “You can help me settle this argument I’ve been having with my best bud.”

There was a confused silence from Chat and the superhero gave him a sidelong glance. “What argument?” He asked at length.

That made sense; as far as Adrien knew, they weren’t arguing at all.

Nino paused the game. “Well, it’s not really an argument; more like a disagreement. See, I’m a diehard Ladynoir shipper, right? Have been since, like, day one. But my best bro, Adrien, doesn’t see it happening. So, who better to ask about it than you?” There was a beat of silence. “Unless it’s weird to ask, and we can go back to you owning me at UMS and act like this never happened.”

Understanding flittered across Chat’s face, followed by a thoughtful expression. “You know, not too long ago, I would have totally been on your side. I thought I was completely in love with her, and that was never gonna change. Except it did, and now we’re both interested in someone else.”

“Damn, Adrien was right,” Nino said, just for show. “But what changed?”

Chat smiled; it was small, soft and Nino struggled to breathe at the sight of it. “I got blindsided.”

“What do you mean?”

Chat paused, trying to find the words. “It just sort of came out of nowhere. This person was always important to me, but then they just did something. It wasn’t anything special—they just hugged me because they thought I needed it—and they probably didn’t think anything of it, but I did. It was like a lightbulb moment and I just stood there thinking, ‘Oh. You’re amazing. What would I ever do without you?’ From then on, everything they did—everything they do—has me rapt.”

Nino could barely keep up with the emotions he felt at the moment. Privileged, because Chat Noir—Adrien—was trusting him with that information. Happiness, because his friend had found someone who made him feel that way. And a fierce, burning jealousy, because, again, it wasn’t him.

Well, Ladybug might be out of the picture, but Nino was still determined to set his best bud up with the girl of his dreams, whoever that was. Operation-Epic-Lonely-Crying-Wingman was still in progress.

“You love them,” Nino said. The realisation hurt, but he’d push through it for Adrien.

Chat beamed and, oh, it was beautiful. “Yeah, yeah I do. I couldn’t imagine life without them.”

“I’m sure they feel the same way,” he said, before breaking out in a yawn.

Chat looked at the time. “I better go; it’s nearly three o’clock in the morning.”

“What? Really?”

His friend walked to the bedroom window. “Mmhm. Sorry for keeping you up for so long.”

Nino waved away his apology as the superhero prepared to jump out into the Parisian night. “No problem, man. You’re always welcome here. And, uh, good luck with that girl that you like.”

Halfway out the window, Chat paused to look back at him; that small, tender smile was back on his face. “Oh, Nino....When did I ever say it was a _girl_?”

* * *

Okay, so, Adrien was interested in both women _and_ men. That was a thing.

A thing that sent Nino’s heart racing. A thing that made hope surge up in him, because _he might have a chance!_

He tried to crush it down. Getting his hopes up would just lead to bitter disappointment later on.

 _No!_ The hopeful side of him thought in defiance. _We will never be silenced!_

 _Yes!_ The logical side of him shot back. _He’s not gonna be interested in us!_

 _Yes, he will!_ Hopeful wouldn’t be cowered. _You don’t know until you try!_

 _Idiot!_ Logic refused to be swayed. _That’s just asking for heartbreak!_

“Aaaaand now I’m going insane,” Nino muttered to himself, sitting at his school desk and waiting for the rest of his classmates to arrive.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell if you don’t,” his best bro said, sitting down beside him.

Nino just gaped at him. How had he missed Adrien arriving? Adrien, Nino’s best friend, who was nice, hilarious, beautiful and _interested in a guy._

“Huh?” Nino eloquently replied.

His best friend laughed. “That you’re going insane? I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.”

Nino blinked. Oh. Right.

“Yeah,” the DJ nodded, feeling dazed by Adrien’s sheer presence. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

* * *

Those words seemed to haunt him.

Ever since that morning at school—ever since the night Chat Noir told him about the guy he loved—Nino was fighting the urge to just blurt out his feelings.

 _I won’t tell if you don’t_.

Nino hadn’t said a word, and Adrien seemed perfectly normal, so the DJ resolved to remain tight-lipped on the subject. After all, Adrien hadn’t told him that he was in love with a guy, _Chat Noir_ had. There was no point bringing it up to the model; Nino was only supposed to know that Chat loved someone, not Adrien. So, Nino was determined to stay silent on the matter until Adrien felt comfortable enough to tell him in his civilian form, too.

It was just starting to get really difficult not to profess him love, that was all. Risk of rejection be damned, Nino was so close to marching up to his best friend and just blurting out, “ _Ireallyfuckingloveyouwillyougooutwithme_?” in one long breath.

But no, no. Operation-Play-It-Cool-That-Your-Best-Bro-Likes-Dudes was underway, and Nino was determined to live up to its name. He wasn’t going to get his hopes up; he was just going to be normal. It might have been driving him crazy, but for the most part, he was successful.

At least, he was until the night Chat Noir clambered through Nino’s window, singing, “Let it go, let it go. Can’t hold it back anymore…”

Nino stirred and sat up in his bed. He turned to look at his clock and then thought better of it. Some things were better left as a mystery. Instead, he kicked the blankets off him with a grunt and blindly fumbled for his glasses.

He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, put on his glasses and said, “Dude, did you really come here at a time that I’m too scared to look at, to sing _Frozen_?”

Chat cringed. “Sorry, Ladybug and I were singing ‘For the First Time in Forever’ last night and I’ve had Frozen songs in my head all day.”

Nino groaned. “That was, like, four years ago, man. _Let it go_.”

Chat smirked. “Was that a _pun_?”

“If I say yes, can I go back to sleep?”

Chat walked over and sat beside Nino on the bed. “Sorry, no can do.”

“Are you going to keep singing Disney songs?”

“Everybody wants to be a cat,” the superhero sang. “Because a cat’s the only cat, who knows where it’s at.”

“Oh my god.”

“Let’s get down to business, to defeat the _puns_.”

Nino raised an eyebrow. “Since when do you want to _defeat_ puns?”

Chat sighed, looking disappointed in himself. “Yeah, I didn’t think that one through.”

He rubbed his eyes. “Okay, but for real, dude. Why are you here?”

His best friend looked serious and Nino’s heart started to pound. His hope that he was the one Adrien cared for rose up in him once again, unable to be squashed down.

“I need to tell you something,” Chat said. “I just don’t know how to say it.”

There was so many things his friend could mean by that. Nino decide to give his friend an opening.

“Well,” he said, “if we’re being honest with each other, and it helps you figure out what you’re gonna say...I know it’s you under there, Adrien.”

Chat went rigid, his mouth dropping open in surprise. “W-what?”

Nino smiled. “I know it’s you, bro. I figured it out ages ago. Is that what you wanted to tell me?”

“No! What—? _How_!?”

Nino reached out to put a comforting hand on the superhero’s shoulder. “Well, when you know Adrien Agreste as well as I do, it was easy to see him underneath the mask.”

Chat just gaped a him a few more times, before being engulfed by a bright, green light. Not expecting the sudden brightness, Nino had to shield his eyes, and when he looked back, his best friend was sitting there, sans his magic catsuit.

Nino blinked. “Okay, I was expecting you. I wasn’t expecting the little floating cat.”

“This is Plagg,” Adrien gestured to the creature. “He’s a kwami. He helps me turn into Chat Noir.”

“Hey, Nino. Nice to finally meet you,” Plagg greeted. “You got any cheese?”

“Uh—no?”

Plagg heaved a very put-upon sigh, and Adrien just rolled his eyes and pulled a wedge of camembert cheese out of his pocket. Well...that certainly explained the strange smell that sometimes hung around his friend. Nino always thought it was just bad cologne.

“Here, Plagg,” the model said. “Can you give us a minute?”

The kwami snatched the cheese out of Adrien’s hand and flew off with it. “Sure thing, kid!”

Left alone, a silence settled over the pair.

“How long have you known?” Adrien eventually asked.

He shrugged. “A few months.”

“You should have told me.”

“I didn’t want you to worry.”

Adrien put his hands in his hair, looking seconds away from pulling it out. “Nino, I’ve been nothing but worried for months!”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

Adrien slowly lowered his hands and grasped them together in his lap. The tight grip he had on them was the only indication that he was nervous. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it?” Nino asked, trying to ignore his heart hammering in his chest.

Adrien sighed and shuffled closer to him. He was now so close that Nino could feel his breath. So close that if he leant in just a little more, they’d be kissing. Nino had to force his gaze away from Adrien’s lips and focus on what he was saying.

“Do you remember when I said I was in love with someone?”

“Of course,” Nino said. “I wouldn’t just forget that.”

“Uh—well—um—I,” Adrien fumbled for words and nervously scratched the back of his neck.

Nino couldn’t handle it. He had to say something; _do_ something.

_Initialising Operation-Confession-Time._

Maybe Nino wasn’t good with words, or saying how he felt, but Adrien was right there and all it took was a surge of courage to lean in and press his lips to his best friend’s.

Adrien went still, and for one horrifying moment, Nino thought he’d just made a huge mistake. That the guy he loved was going to push him away and their friendship would be ruined forever. Then Adrien got over his shock, his arms went around him, and Adrien began to kiss him back in earnest.

“Oh, _thank god_ ,” Nino murmured into Adrien’s lips when they separated for air.

Relief and indescribable happiness was coursing through Nino. Because if Adrien just kissed him like—like _that_ , then surely he felt the same as—

“I love you,” Adrien said, beaming at him. “And I've been worried for months that you wouldn’t feel like same.”

Nino returned the smile. “Are you kidding? I spent months trying to ignore my feelings because you’re _Chat Noir,_ who was clearly in love with _Ladybug_ , not me. Then you and blow my mind and say you’re in love with a _guy_.”

“Is that why you were so set on the Ladynoir thing?”

“I was trying to be the ultimate wingman and get you together, no matter what I felt.”

“I love you, Nino. How could I not?”

“You said it was a lightbulb moment.”

“More like seeing the sun for the first time in my life.”

Nino blushed heavily. “Sh-shut up, _you’re_ the sunshine child. Alya always says so.”

“Mmmm, I don’t wanna talk about Alya right now.”

“Can you believe her and Chloé are together?”

“Don’t wanna talk about Chloé, either.”

“I love you, too,” Nino said, simple and easy, as he hadn’t spent months agonising over his feelings. “And I’d really like to kiss you again.”

Adrien grinned. “Now, that’s a much better topic of conversation. Although, we won’t be doing much talk—”

Nino silenced him with a kiss and he felt Adrien smile against his lips. Their noses bumped, the kiss deepened and Nino’s glasses got knocked askew. Nino struggled to care, as Adrien proved to be a very good distraction from his eyewear.

He was in sensory overload. His pulse pounding, and he felt flushed all over. He skin was sensitive to Adrien’s every touch, as his best friend gently lowered him back down on the bed and leant over him.

Nino could see the clear want in Adrien’s eyes, and that sent desire coursing through him. He wanted Adrien, too. God, did Nino want him! When the blonde leant down to kiss him, Nino eagerly arched up to meet him, one hand reaching up to bury itself in the model’s hair.

Where in the world had Adrien learnt to kiss like that? Nino didn’t have much time to wonder about it, because Adrien was nipping at his lips, distracting him with his tongue, and pushing aside any errant thought Nino had.

All other thoughts gone, he was left with overwhelming need to touch the other boy. Nino hands dipped under Adrien’s shirt and trailed up his back. He could feel all the muscles there, no doubt from all the hours Adrien spent doing fencing and saving Paris.

Nino hummed in appreciation. Apparently, he had a thing for muscles. Who knew?

Maybe it was just a thing for Adrien? The guy was seriously too nice and pretty to be legal. Like, damn, he was beautiful. Especially like he was in that moment, with his messy, Chat-like, hair; his kiss-swollen lips; his eyes burning with desire.

Nino bit back a moan when Adrien began kissing and sucking at his neck. They couldn’t be loud. His parents were only a few rooms away. They were heavy sleepers, but if they were to wake up and to come in, it’d be a nightmare.

Still, it was hard to think about that when he was kiss-drunk, and Adrien was above him, all beautiful and breathtaking, and flushed and god, Nino loved him.

“I’m so gay,” he said.

Adrien looked up from Nino’s neck and laughed. “Good.”

“I blame you.”

“Even better.”

“You come in here, singing Disney songs like the sunshine child you are, and then with a few kisses and wandering hands, you’ve reduced me to this. You’re not a sunshine child, you’re a sinnamon roll.”

Adrien pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his lips. “I can accept that. But what exactly have I reduced you to?”

Nino rolled them so he was now straddling Adrien’s lap. “A hot, gay mess,” he replied. “And I intend to do the same to you.”

“Congratulations. You’ve already succeeded.”

Nino laughed and leant down to kiss him, revelling in the fact he could do so. This was Adrien! He returned Nino’s feelings! The loved each other! How amazing was that?!

His hands had just strayed a little lower than appropriate, when a voice cut through the air.

“Okay, _enough_. I do not have enough cheese for this.”

Adrien groaned and turned to face the little cat-like creature that gave him his powers. “Plagg, _really_?!”

Kwami-blocked. Damn.

“Kid, I was given enough cheese for a love confession. Even enough of some kisses, because I’m generous. I was not given enough to deal with you two mating.”

Nino felt embarrassment rush through him and hurriedly clambered off of Adrien. “We weren’t going to—I mean, probably, eventually—I mean, I’d like to—“

“You’re getting string cheese for a month,” Adrien grumbled, sitting up and looking displeased.

“Two wheels of camembert if you two don’t want to get interrupted next time.”

“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation right now,” Adrien said.

“Little dude, I’ll give you all the wheels of camembert you want if you never butt in again,” Nino interjected.

“You’ll regret that,” Adrien told him.

“No,” Nino said confidently. “No, I won’t.”

“Oh?” Plagg sounded impressed. “I like you. Adrien, keep him.”

“That’s the plan,” Adrien said, staring at Nino, love-struck.

“Urgh,” Plagg shuddered. “I always get the lovesick kittens.”

Before either of them could reply, an explosion sounded in the distance and screams filled the air.

His best friend (boyfriend?) sighed. “Do you think if I stayed here, Ladybug, Queen B and Rena Rouge could handle that on their own?”

“ _Kid_ ,” Plagg admonished, sounding serious; it was a far cry from the teasing, cheese-obsessed kwami of moments before.

“I know,” Adrien said, getting to his feet and making his way to the window. “Duty calls.” He punched out with his fist. “Plagg, _transformez-moi!_ ” Within moments, he was standing there as Chat Noir.

“That was awesome! Was it weird that I found it attractive?” Nino wanted to know.

Adrien—Chat—laughed. “No, but you’ve done wonders for my ego.” Another crash sounded in the distance and he winced. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to go—like, seriously, I’d like to continue where we left off—but I have to—”

“It’s okay,” Nino said, walking over to Adrien and putting a comforting arm around him. “I understand. It’s just a perk of dating Chat Noir.”

There. He’d used the D-word. He’d put a label on what they were. Well, he’d said what he’d like to be, it just depended on what Adrien thought.

Chat leant in and kissed him. Nino had a brief moment place his hands on Adrien’s waist, to fell the unfamiliar feeling of his miraculous suit, before the other boy pulled away.

The fleeting, ridiculous thought of, _I just kissed Chat Noir,_ passed through his mind. As if that was any different to kissing to Adrien Agreste.

“Mmm,” Chat hummed. “The perks of dating Nino Lahiffe.”

 _Dating_. Adrien wanted the same as he did. They were _dating_.

Before they got even more distracted, Nino gestured to the window. “Go get them, Chat Noir. Be careful.”

Chat opened the window and perched on it. With a quick, “Love you,” and a two-fingered salute, he ducked out into the night.

Nino stood at the window, watching Chat jump over Parisian rooftops. “Love you, too,” he said softly.

In the distance, he saw the vague shapes of Ladybug, Rena Rouge and Queen B join Chat Noir. With their team altogether, the heroes took off towards the akuma.

Nino smiled as he watched them go. His boyfriend was off to save the city. How in the world did he manage to earn such an amazing guy’s love?

“Operation-Adrinino,” he murmured. “Successful.”


End file.
